Waking Me
by soulful-sin
Summary: Set during The Sting, this is Fry's side of Leela's coma.


Author's Note: There are probably tons of fics out there dealing with Fry's side of "The Sting". Here's another.

I hope you guys like it.

Waking Me

Fry awoke disoriented. This wasn't an unusual state for him, though he was glad to be rid of the horrible "I have a giant stinger through my stomach" feeling. He blinked away encrusted eyes and stared at the ceiling. A sudden gasp prompted him to turn his head, which moved stiffly. He didn't recognize the room, but he recognized where it must be. He blinked.

"Fry, ole pal, you're awake!" Bender cried, jumping up from his chair and hugging him. "The operation was a success!"

"What operation?" Fry said and stared at his stomach. He patted it and groaned, noticing the giant bandage and stitches. "What happened? The last thing I remember is the bee stinging me and then I passed out."

"It went all the way through you," Bender said. "So the doctors gave you a new spleen." He hummed and looked around, probably counting hospital rooms and deciding who to graft next. Fry frowned, figuring out Bender's story, and putting it together with what he already knew. It made sense, so he accepted it. He followed Bender's eyes; the room, aside from his best friend, was empty.

"Where's Leela?" he asked.

"Down the hall," the robot answered. His metal face showed no emotions and his tone matched. "She's in the intensive care unit."

"What? _Why?_" Fry demanded. "The bee stung me, not her."

"Yeah, but she got all the poison," Bender said. "The doctors said there's nothing they can do for her."

Fry jumped up, not noticing the IVs in his arm. They hurt like a bitch when he yanked on them, but that didn't stop him from trying it anyway. He screamed and Bender watched impassively. Human screams weren't very interesting to him unless he was causing them, and Fry wasn't in any immediate danger.

"I gotta see her!" he said.

"No can do," Bender said. "You have to wait for the doctors to release you."

"I have to see her!" Fry repeated and yanked on the IVs. Bender grinned and looked around. Using his adroit fingers, he removed the IVs from Fry's arm, detached the heart scanners from his chest, and kicked the machine when it bleated a flat line. He then, grabbing the chart, forged a signature.

"Doctor Bender says you can go," he said. "Down the hall, room 19."

Fry stumbled on the way out and Bender smirked. Snatching a white coat off some poor intern's back, he hustled Fry down the hall.

"Very important doctor coming through! Make way!" he called. When people protested, they didn't notice the metal arm sneak out, lightning fast, and snatch jewelry and wallets from the unsuspecting doctors, nurses, and cleaning staff. "Hey, move it, pal!"

He shoved Fry into a small room, closed the door behind him, and smoothed over the ruckus he had caused. And by smooth over, Fry knew he was actually stealing everything he could while trying to calm down the masses. But Fry's attention was not on Bender. It was on the small, pale figure lying on the hospital bed showing little brain activity. Her chest rose and fell, but otherwise, she was lifeless. And with that, Fry's heart contracted very painfully. He didn't want to see Leela like this. His eyes welled and he wiped them on his arm, since his hospital gown didn't have sleeves.

Dragging a chair near her bed, he wept at her arm and clasped her hand. It was cold and clammy. It didn't feel like her at all. It felt like someone else had stolen her body and was holding the real Leela hostage.

"Leela, you gotta wake up," he begged. "I know you can't hear me, but it's me, Fry. And I'm going to keep talking until you listen. I don't care if it takes me until the end of time. I will not leave you."

"Hey, Fry?" Bender asked, ducking his head into the room. He tossed clothing at him. "There. No more walking around in the hospital gown."

Fry caught the clothing, waited until Bender disappeared again, and changed. He tossed the hospital gown on the floor and winced at the holes in his arms from the IV drips. Leela had them too, except they were actually doing something for her. He consulted the chart, which had a bunch of medical terms he didn't understand, and one word caught his eye- 'coma'. Bender had said the doctors couldn't do anything for her. Well, a coma was like a really long sleep, right? And people who were in comas woke up eventually, didn't they? They had to. Leela would not leave him. He wouldn't let her.

Returning to his chair, he held her hand in between his. "I don't know what's going on, but you need to wake up and come back to me. It's kinda cold in here and I'm a little scared. You have to come back. I don't know what I'd do without you."  
**

* * *

**

Amy rounded on Bender after finishing her breakfast and glared at the robot. "Where's Fry?"

Bender shrugged. "In there with Leela, last time I checked. You folks wouldn't happen to know where the security room is, would you? Bender has to make a little visit."

"Fry was released?" Professor Farnsworth asked.

"Released, illegally checked out, same thing," Bender said. "Now, if you don't mind me, I've got some cameras to tamper with."  
**

* * *

**

Fry laid his head along Leela's hand. Normally, her hands were soft and moist; she used a sweet smelling hand lotion he liked. They didn't feel lifeless, like this. He turned his head and kissed her hand. For a half second, he expected her to swipe her hand back and snap at him, but she didn't. She didn't respond at all. He moaned.

"Leela, wake up. It might be dark and scary in there, but you've got me. And I won't ever leave you, not even to go to the bathroom. I'll sit right here and keep talking to you until you wake up. Blah blah blah. Man, when's the last time I ate? I could really go for a pizza right now. One with anchovies, but not too much. Oh, wait, they're extinct now."

He stared at the machines keeping her alive. "You hated anchovies. Oh, Leela, please wake up. I don't know what I'd do without you. You gotta wake up. _Please_. I'm begging you."

The machines didn't entertain him, and neither did she. He held her hand and stared at her single eye, closed in what looked like sleep. But it wasn't sleep. It was a fake sleep, designed to steal people away. He wouldn't let it take her. He'd fight it, if he could. He'd yell and scream and rant and rave and do whatever it took until she woke up.  
**

* * *

**

"How are you holding up?" Amy asked an hour later.

"I could really use a bathroom," he confessed. "But I don't want to leave her. She might wake up and I won't be there."

"Balderdash," Professor Farnsworth said. "You've got a better chance of hooking up with the hottest nurse on this ward than Leela has of waking up."

Fry glared. "She'll wake up. I'll prove it. C'mon, Leela. I know you're in there. There's a surprise for you in my locker. I got it at a Swedish novelty shop before we left."

"Do you want some pizza?" Amy asked.

"Sure," he said and then looked at Leela. "There's just one thing I want you to do for me. I want you to wake up."

He looked at Amy with puppy dog eyes. "Will you stay with her while I use the bathroom?"

"Of course," she said.

"Keep talking to her," he said. "And if she wakes up or even moves, come get me."

"Guh," Amy said, rolling her eyes, "You're only going to be in the bathroom."

"Come get me!" Fry insisted. "I want to be there if she so much as moves a finger!"

"Okay, okay," Amy said. "Sheesh."

He exited the room and exhaled shakily, swallowing hard. He had to figure out a way to wake her up. Maybe playing loud music or singing would help. He could try those, perhaps later, when everyone was asleep. That way, there'd be no one to yell at him or tell him not to do it. Yeah, that was a good idea.

He used the bathroom and raced back to the room. Amy frowned at him.

"She's the same as she was before," she said.

"Did you try talking to her?" he asked.

"No," Amy said. "Fry, I don't think she can hear any of this."

"I know she can. I know she's in there. She just has to find us," Fry said. "And I'm going to keep talking until she listens."  
**

* * *

**

A week later, Fry was exhausted but unwilling to move. He had only moved when people brought him food or he needed a bathroom break. He didn't even shower; this prompted the other humans to avoid him. Bender didn't have a problem though that might have been a testament to his lacking a sense of smell. At the moment, he sat alone in her room, like he had for a long while, and kept talking to her. He spoke until he was hoarse, then he got water and spoke until his voice vanished into nothing.

When he had no voice left, he rasped and squeezed her hand. His entire world shrank to a single bed, a single occupant, and a single goal. He'd keep talking, rambling or otherwise, until she heard him and woke up. The doctors stared at him and shook their heads. They commented after a few days when he started smelling, but otherwise, let him be. They thought he was nuts, though. He didn't care. Leela was all that mattered.

"Hi, Leela. I'm just going to keep talking, even if you can't hear me. Blah blah blah, blah blah blah blah blah."

She didn't respond, as she wouldn't, and he smiled weakly at her. "You know, I'm better than a dream. Could a dream take you dancing in an illusion garden?"

He was used to holding up his end of the conversation without her replying, and so, he continued. "Then what if we shared a sleigh ride across the ice fields of Hyperia?"

He swallowed hard. No reply. He hadn't been expecting one, though. He kept rambling, clearing his throat several times because it was getting dry, and swallowed some ice water. He imagined a shiver and so, removing his jacket, he wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Here, take my jacket. You look a little cold," he said.

He stroked her clammy forehead. Everything about her was so cold and not Leela. "You can keep the jacket. All you have to do is wake up."  
**

* * *

**

Bender was thoroughly enjoying himself in the hospital, now that he had the run of the place. Fry woke up thoroughly confused yet again and stared down at himself.

"Why am I sticky and naked? Did I miss something fun?" he asked. Leela didn't answer and, without anyone else in the room, he didn't have anyone else to answer his question. He smelled nasty, however, and with a whiff of himself, he changed back into his clothes. They stuck to his body. He probably could use a shower, but he didn't want to leave her long enough to take one. Who knows what might happen while he was gone?

"Bender is loaded and everything is right with the world!" Bender announced, popping his head back in. "Oh, right..."

"Uh, not everything," Fry reminded him. "You have to wake up."

"Fry, I don't know how much good this is really doing," Bender said. Fry glared.

"I'll stay here until my throat falls out and my lungs explode!" he declared. "I am not leaving Leela and you can't make me!"

Bender stared at him. "You could use a beer."

Fry continued glaring and Bender shrugged, backing out.

"You're missing all the fun," he said quietly, but let the man be. Fry flopped back into his chair, dejected, and stared at Leela. He wouldn't let himself get down. Leela would wake up and all would be right with the world.  
**

* * *

**

He hadn't slept in three days. He was now singing show tunes. Between the smell and his delirium, the doctors were avoiding the room.

"In every life, we have some trouble. But when you worry, you make it double...don't worry, be happy!"

"Oh boy..." Bender muttered on the other side of the door. "He's singing. Again. At least he stopped singing "Walking on Sunshine". That song still sucks noodles."

"He won't accept that she won't wake up," Amy said. "What are we supposed to tell him?"

"Nothing," Bender said. "We won't tell him anything."

"But we can't let him go on like this," she replied.

"He won't leave her," Bender said. He scoffed. "Humans. They don't know what's good for them."  
**

* * *

**

He was losing hope, but he would keep fighting. It was almost two weeks since she'd fallen into the coma, and he hadn't stopped talking for the last twelve hours. His throat ached, but it had to be worth it. It had to be.

"Leela, no! Listen to me! You don't want to lie in bed like a vegetable and do nothing the rest of your life! I've tried it! Bedsores hurt!" he cried. Her vitals fluctuated wildly and his heart thudded in his throat. He wouldn't lose her. He couldn't. He refused.

"Fight it!" he cried. The vitals were bleeping at him now, telling him they were heading into dangerous territory. He wanted to cry. This couldn't be happening. He could see their time flashing before his eyes and it wasn't enough, no, never enough. He hadn't told her so much.

"You can! The Leela I know doesn't give up this easily!" he argued to her unconscious self. She didn't give up. She couldn't give up. The doctors and his friends rushed into the room while the machines squealed. He balled a fist on his lap.

"Heading into the red!" a doctor announced.

"I don't know if you can hear me, Leela, but there's something I wanna tell you. I love you," he whispered. Lights were flashing, machines were beeping, and he started crying.

"Just wake up, Leela. Please. Just wake up," he pleaded. Then, he'd later swear was a ray of light pierced the hospital room. The machines calmed down as Leela's heart rate returned to normal, as did all her other vitals, but he wasn't paying attention to that. He was still sobbing, terrified he'd lost her.

"Fry! You're alive!" she cried. He jerked up.

"Leela, you're awake!" he cried. All that talking hadn't been for nothing, after all. He stared into her eye and all the tension, the terror, the horrible dread that had filled him faded away. He felt so relieved right now, he could sing. But perhaps he shouldn't. Bender was giving him a look telling him not to.

But even so...

_"Don't worry...bee happy!"_


End file.
